Guard for drinking-glasses.



w. H. BUTLER.

GUARD FOR DRINKING GLASSES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 8. 191a.

Patented June 18, 1918 fiT/(i.

ATTORNEY 'JFFTF. I

WALTER H. BUTLER, 0F JDU'UG'IIASVILLE, GEORGIA.

@FUARD FQR DRINKINWG-EASSEE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11%, TWW.

Application died March a, rare. Serial no. aaiaoe.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER H. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Douglasville, in the county of Douglas and 5 State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guards for Drinking-Glasses, of which the following is a specification.

When imbibing cold drinks, either at M home or in public places, annoyance is .fre-

quently experienced by floating particles such as cracked ice coming in contact with the lips and teeth. The purpose of this invention is the pro- 115 vision of a guard which may be readily applied to any drinking glass or like receptacle and which will prevent particles of ice and other floating material such as fruit from coming in contact with the mouth, thereby W insuring the clear or strained beverage only passing between the lips. The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to to meet difi'erent conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter. 30 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one of the forms of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification. Fig. 3 is a like view of a further modification.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the supporting hooks of the guard.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indit0 cated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral. 1 designates an ordinary drinking glass which may be of any design such as commonly employed for containing tit a beverage. In this connection it is to be understood that the part 1 may be a receptacle of any nature such as a cup, tumbler, or the like.

As indicated in the several views, the to guard is disposed within the glass or receptacle 1 near the top thereof and may be of any construction so long as it serves the purpose of straining the beverage and preventing particles of ice and other material from passing between the lips of the person at imbibmg a beverage from the receptacle. lit

is to be understood that the guard may form a part of the receptacle but for sanitary reasons, it is preferred to have the guard separate from the receptacle and W adapted to be applied thereto. This enables a guard to be used with a number of receptacles and enlarges the usefulness of the device.

As shown in Fig. 1, the guard 2 consists f of a disk provided with suspending means 3. The disk 2 may be of any material and is provided with a multiplicity of relatively small openings to admit of the beverage passing by the guard when imbibin the 7 contents of the glass. In the preferref construction, the guard 2 may consist of a foraminous plate which is stifi'ened at its outer edge by means of a wire 4. The suspending means 3 are in the nature of hooks which 7 are adapted to engage over the upper edge of the glass or receptacle 1 so as to support the guard in proper position. It, is preferred to have the hooks 3 resilient and of such formation as to spring lightly over the 0 edge of the glass and prevent casual slipping or disengagement of the guard when the glass is tipped as in the act of imbibin the contents thereof. The hooks 3 should be of a nature to admit of the guard being 85 easily placed in position or removed from the glass without endangering the latter, while at the same time insuring the position of the guard when in active service. The hooks 3 are preferably attached to the wire to 4, and the connection may be made in any manner preferably by having the hooks soL dered or brazed to the wire thereby obviating projecting parts and spaces which would be liable to collect matter and add to the at labor of keeping the guard in a sanitary condition. The disk 2 is of a size to closely fit within the upper portion of the glass and is located at such a distance from the edge of the glass to prevent contact of the nose or M0 lips therewith. An opening is formed in the disk 2 and is closed by means of a suitable-cover 5 which is pivoted at 6 to the disk. A fingerpiece 7 projects upwardly from the cover 5.to enable the latter to be 10% conveniently operated. When the cover 5 is turned aside a spoon or other implement maybe introduced through the opening to admit of stirring the contents of the glass,

or. of introducing any material desired to be added to the beverage.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the guard is of such formation as to be located wholly at one side of the glass oranalogous receptacle. In this instance, the guard comprises a sideiwall 8 and end walls 9. The walls 8 and 9 may be provided in any manner, but in the preferable construction a strip of material of suitable shape has its end portions bent substantially at a right angle in the same direction to provide the end walls 9. The outer edges of the end walls 9 receive the lower ends of hooks 10 which constitute the sustaining means whereby the guard is attached to the. glass.

The walls 8 and 9 are perforated to admit of the liquid contents passing into the space inclosed by the guard While at the same time preventing floating particles from reaching the mouth. The side wall 8 is disposed so that its lower edge engages the inner wall of the glass or like receptacle, and suchwall inclines upwardly and inwardly whereby its upper edge is spaced a proper distance from the edge of the glass to prevent contact of the guard with the nose or mouth of the person drinking from the glass having a guard applied thereto. The end walls 9 are of triangular shape and their inner edges are of such outline as to fit close against the inner wall of the glass. It is observed that the guard is inclosed on three sides only, the outer or fourth .side being closed by the upper edge portion of the glass when the guard is in position.

In th form illustrated in Fig. 3, the guard comprises a dome-shaped member 11 which is preferably constructed of Wire gauze pressed into concavo-convex shape and having its edge reinforced by means of a wire 12. Hooks 13 are attached at their inner lower ends to the wire 12 and their upper ends engage over the edge of the glass and extend downwardly along the outer side of the glass for a short distance and are preferably connected by means of a ring 14, the latter being resilient and preferably consisting of a length of wire, such ring having an eye 15 at one end and a hook 16 at its opposite end. When the hook 16 is engaged with the eye 15, the ring 14 is drawn close places such as soda-water fountains.

guard.

It is proposed to construct the guard in different sizes and shapes and of different material, thereby adapting the invention to meet various requirements and conditions both for home service and for use in publiscL glass or other receptacle provided with a guard will prevent floating particles of ice, fruit, or the like from reaching the mouth and the guard acts as a strainer to insure the clear beverage only reaching the lips. This is of advantage when imbibing iced drinks or beverages containing fruit and other flavoring material of a solid or cellular nature and tending to float on the beverage.

By making the guard in sections, access may be readily had to the interior of the glass The form shown in Fig. 3 may be provided with a protected opening or made in sections to admit of reaching the interior ,surin the position of the guar The openings 1n the guard may be slits or formed in any manner. The hooks of the form shown in Fig. 1 ma be connected by a ring in the manner similar to the guard shown in Fig. 3. The hooks may be soldered to the guard or form an integral part thereof.

What I claim is l. A guard for drinking glasses and like receptacle adapted to be supported within the upper portion of the glass and having an opening, and a cover for closing such opening. a

2. A guard for drinking glasses and like receptacles, provided with a plurality of hook shaped supporting members, and a resilient ring connecting the outer ends of the supporting members, said ring having an eye at one end and a hook at the opposite end to prevent casual displacement of the guard when in position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER H. BUTLER. 

